Opened July 31, Pie Five Pizza Co. is Clearwater's newest spot for customizable personal pies. The fast-casual pizza franchise, based in Dallas and a first for the Tampa Bay area, is housed in Clearwater Mall at 2689 Gulf to Bay Blvd.
"The Clearwater community has been clamoring for a Pie Five to call its own ever since we opened in Estero, and I'm so happy that we're finally ready to serve shoppers at Clearwater Mall," said franchisee Jeffrey Parker, who previously operated six McDonald's franchises and is opening his third Pie Five location to Coral Springs in fall, in a statement.
The menu at Pie Five, which runs close to 100 locations nationwide, offers more than 40 pick-your-own toppings (think marinated artichoke hearts, Italian sausage and sun-dried tomatoes), seven sauces and three house-made crusts, plus vegan cheese and gluten-free crust options. There's also 10 signature pizza builds on hand.
• Karma Juice Bar & Eatery has also debuted to Clearwater. Located at 2095 Drew St., the juicery — which opened its flagship to downtown St. Pete in 2015 — showcases smoothies, kombucha, acai bowls and other made-to-order eats, alongside the signature menu item: cold-pressed juice. It's another cozy, inviting space to drink or dine.
• In St. Petersburg, Neighborhood Joe is serving up breakfast and lunch at 2609 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. The neighborhood coffee shop features everything from hot and iced java to kombucha on tap, alongside fresh baked goods, omelets, salads and veg-friendly sandwiches, including a vegan BLT with Vegenaise, avocado, "facon" and sunflower sprouts.
• Ice Dreammm Shop is Lutz's answer to gourmet flavors of small-batch ice cream and sorbet. Ever had sweet corn ice cream? What about ice cream infused with Fireball? These are just a couple of Ice Dreammm's funky offerings at 23912 State Road 54 in the Canoe Commons Plaza behind Big Apple Bagels.
But don't worry: Those with a less-adventurous sweet tooth can choose from selections such as chocolate bacon toffee, lemon pie and Rum Haven, another adult flavor composed of coconut rum ice cream with a caramel ribbon and toasted coconut topping.
• Diners can now find Krispy Krab's seafood favorites in Largo at 202 Belcher Road N. Waypoint 6 Tavern & Geekery, also new in Largo at 9057 Ulmerton Road, is a haven for classic pub fare, drinks and locals who're into all matters of geekdom, whether they're a gamer or comic book fan. And Redington Shores saw the opening of Broke N Bored Grill, a family-owned restaurant specializing in casual beachside grub at 35 182nd Ave. W.
This article appears in Sep 7-14, 2017.